The Courtship of Dibley's Vicar
by WordsmithGrl
Summary: CHAPTER 2 UPLOADED!!! *SPOILERS* Love and Marriage, Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Geraldine questions her decision concerning a certain proposal. Please R/R!
1. Default Chapter

The Courtship of Dibley's Vicar  
  
By Ashley McCall  
  
Rating: PG (just to be a little risky)  
  
Disclaimer: "The Vicar of Dibley" does not belong to me no matter how long I may pretend. Blessed are those to be entertained by the talented writer Richard Curtis and the lovely actress Dawn French thanks to the marvelous Production Company of Tiger Aspect. I'm just borrowing a few scenes from "Love and Marriage, " "Autumn," "Winter," "Spring," and "Summer." Any songs mentioned are not mine (imagine me owning the rights to Roberta Flack songs … wowie). No infringement intended.  
  
~*~  
  
Had there been any hints? Had she ever suggested in any way any attraction? She hadn't seen it. Or had she?  
  
~*~  
  
"… You see they already had a contract with Wonder Loaf." He was already laughing appreciatively, but explanations just seemed to be a given in Dibley.  
  
"Yes, yes."  
  
She was slightly confused, "So you get it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, thank God."  
  
As his laughing subsided, he gazed contently across the table, "Stay."  
  
~*~  
  
"Now that Hugo has left me, I'm all on my own. I thought you might like to come around."  
  
He was the same ol' David with the exception of wanting company.  
  
~*~  
  
Alice and Hugo wanted to name their newborn daughter after her – Geraldine, little Geraldine.  
  
"Good choice," the prideful grandfather sat on the arm of the sofa. "Excellent choice." But there was something other than pride in his eyes. What was it?  
  
~*~  
  
When Simon came down the stairs in that short robe, she suddenly felt embarrassed. Then she saw David's face, and she felt ashamed.  
  
Why? Ashamed of getting caught? Ashamed of David knowing? But why would she care what he thought?  
  
~*~  
  
And there she was again – at David's house. Not a town meeting, not a Christmas party, just the two of them and a bottle of whiskey.  
  
It didn't mean anything. They were … friends? She was the vicar and he was the chairman of the parish council. That was it.  
  
Even though she couldn't believe David was trying to convince her of the gentler side of Herod, she almost understood his motives. But he was still being, "… naughty!"  
  
~*~  
  
They agreed. How strange! But he was being practical – even sentimental and considerate for her sake.  
  
"Maybe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."  
  
"Moving on," there was that look again. That look of unexplainable content – almost blissful.  
  
~*~  
  
Why hadn't she noticed? Subconsciously, she must have noticed, or she wouldn't have been so acceptable to or so comfortable in those situations.  
  
Was she just starving for intellectual banter? Or was she truly attracted to David Horton? She would sleep on it.  
  
~*~  
  
David? Late for the council meeting? How odd! Was he really serious the other night? The hypothetical and the parenthetical were just that, weren't they?  
  
Dibley – the state of confusion – as it were, was finally rubbing off on David and Geraldine.  
  
Hugo said that David looked like a broken man before he disappeared. A broken man? Why hadn't she recognized?  
  
There he was! Something within her jumped. Good lord, what was he wearing? He must have dressed out of Hugo's closet. Jeans and a hot pink shirt? Where was the real David Horton?  
  
~*~  
  
He was so full of surprises. The clothes, the money, becoming a member of the Labour Party! This is what they had discussed a few nights before. He was a new person. Geraldine did not know what to expect next.  
  
"1, 2, 3…." David ran to the stage as a piano began to play. As he drew the curtain back, David revealed a baby grand, a cello, and candlelight. What were they playing? Oh – "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."  
  
Geraldine giggled as David pulled her out of her chair and waltzed her around. Suddenly, he was on one knee.  
  
~*~  
  
He said, "I love you." Suddenly, it didn't matter that David was a Tory or a millionaire. He said, "I love you."  
  
"Alright then."  
  
~*~  
  
There wasn't much of a council meeting that night. If there had been, Geraldine had not noticed. David's blissful smile never faltered. So if Jim was repetitive, if Frank was tedious, or if Owen was irreverent, he didn't let it get to him.  
  
David walked Geraldine home. He threaded her arm under his holding her hand and holding her close to his side. He had her now, and he wasn't going to let her go.  
  
When they reached the vicarage, the awkwardness began. Within a few moments, their relationship had changed drastically. It was only a few days ago that they began to agree with each other – that took a couple of years to accomplish, but they had gone from friendly colleagues to bewildered betrothed in less than 5 minutes.  
  
How were they supposed to act?  
  
When all of Dibley was quiet, it was a deafening silence and of no help to the new couple. Geraldine wanted to break the silence. She was so happy. She wanted to say something – anything! But she could not find the words to express what she was feeling.  
  
"Good night, Geraldine," David squeezed her hands tightly.  
  
"Good night, David." She could not get his earlier words out of her mind – he loved her.  
  
A grin slowly crept across David's face as he lifted Geraldine's hand to his lips. He squeezed her hands once more, "Good night."  
  
"Night," Geraldine slid behind the door and watched as David walked back to the estate.  
  
Overjoyed? Is that what she was feeling?  
  
Geri climbed the stairs and got dressed for bed never giving thought to what she was doing. Her mind was fixed on the events of the night, on David. She threw herself face down onto the bed and released a contented sigh.  
  
The last time she felt this happy, she had been expecting Simon for the weekend. Simon. The joy that had been surging through her body balled up and settled in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"What have I done?"  
  
~*~  
  
She tossed and turned, but sleep would not come to her. She did not know how she let this happen or why David let it happen.  
  
"I can't do this to him." The guilt she had struggled with after her affair with Simon was returning faster and stronger with each moment.  
  
Every pang assured her that revenge, sorrow, and worse was around the corner – not only for her, but for David as well. He might not think of it now, but she had compromised everything – her reputation, her faith – just for a fling with his brother.  
  
Geraldine did not want David to hate her – especially not for that. She decided that she would not give him the chance.  
  
"End it now – quick and painless."  
  
But she knew it would be painful. For her. Maybe she was being too rash. In David's hypothetical wonderings, he had mentioned Simon. He had given it some thought. Was he sorry for not trying to prevent it? Not that he could have done anything to stop her from seeing Simon.  
  
She struggled with herself over every thought and analyzation to utter exhaustion. Between imagining how happy she could be with David and wondering how miserable she would make David, Geri fell asleep.  
  
~*~  
  
"I can't! I can't!" she had woken from a nightmare that she usually would consider a wonderful dream.  
  
Despite the appearance of Sean Bean, she had been startled that she left David at the altar.  
  
Geraldine decided that she had to call off the engagement – the sooner, the better – before she really hurt David.  
  
~*~  
  
He had a nightmare about Geri calling off the engagement. She almost backed down, but he wanted the assurance that she still intended to marry him.  
  
"I really like you." She saw the anticipation of the "but" in David's eyes. "But just because we are the only two people in the village with a brain cell … it doesn't necessarily mean that we're right for each other. True love is what keeps marriages together – not truly stupid neighbors with a big dollop of loneliness thrown in."  
  
Geraldine remembered the awkward silence from the night before. Even now, she knew she would not be feeling that overwhelming joy, that ultimate high after the present silence.  
  
He simply said, "Yes. Fine." David was agreeing with her again, "As usual, you're right."  
  
Quickly, he excused himself to the study. Geraldine felt her heart break.  
  
"Still, you make my first mom look like a real stayer." Hugo – always finding the good.  
  
All Geraldine could say was, "I'm sorry, Hugo." She wanted to apologize to David a million times over. Actually, she wanted to take back everything she had said in the last minute.  
  
"I would, however, like it to be noted," David slid back into the den; "just for the minutes, as it were, that in the end, I did have the brains to recognize what an extraordinary woman you are and the intelligence to realize that the man who finally does spend his life with you will indeed be the luckiest of all men - even though so obviously it cannot be me."  
  
Like a cordial handshake, the kiss David bestowed upon Geraldine's hand seemed to be sealing a deal – a deal Geraldine was beginning to regret.  
  
~*~  
  
For the rest of the night, Geraldine felt emptiness as if she lost something and nervousness as if she had made the wrong choice.  
  
Being lost in thought, she realized everything that she didn't like about David were the same points she favored. His arrogance turned to confidence, his old-fashioned ways to gentleman ways, and his never- changing personality to constancy. Although David had a bland sense of humor, he did understand her jokes. And his habit of being brutally honest was growing on her.  
  
At one time, "mean spirited" had been a fault David possessed, but it was fading from Geraldine's memory and being replaced by sentimentality.  
  
Who was she to tell David that what he was feeling was not true love? Geraldine doubted herself. Was she really just swept away? Or was she truly smitten? But what if she was just feeling self-pity … or guilt?  
  
"Ugh!" Geraldine's frustration was followed by a Curly Wurly bar. She hated it when her feelings wrestled with each other. She hated it even more when she felt helpless – leaving herself open to becoming a slave to chocolate.  
  
She put her hands together, closed her eyes, and bowed her head, "Dear God, I need a sign."  
  
Geraldine reached for another candy bar, but her endless supply was gone. Suspiciously, she looked up to the heavens.  
  
~*~  
  
The bishop gave his final blessings over little Geraldine as her family looked on. "She will always have God's love. But let us pray that she may one day find something, which in my long experience has been much harder to find."  
  
Auntie Geri had to put on her cheery/humorous persona. "Sane clergymen?" she whispered to David.  
  
But the bishop had heard her, "No – the true love of another person."  
  
Geraldine tried to sneak a glimpse of David, but he looked down to meet her gaze. She scrunched up her nose and grinned as Jim began to play "Baby Love" on the organ. She had to put up a front – everything normal, nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
Somehow in that moment, she knew – she just knew David was the one. It didn't take proper wooing. It didn't take an enchanting moonlit stroll. It didn't take a kiss. She knew.  
  
Maybe God heard the prayer of the bishop and blessed both Geraldines. She could not be sure. She was sure of one thing – of her mistake. How could she erase yesterdays? She was afraid she would never be able to correct her mistake. Dignity no longer mattered.  
  
~*~  
  
At the vicarage, Geraldine's parish family congregated to celebrate a new life and a new member of their family. The loving parents sat on the sofa with a great-godparent (both odd, but caring) on each side. The godfather leaned against the fireplace with dignity and a new suit while the godmother busied herself in making everyone comfortable. But the proudest and the smallest of them all occupied a quiet corner of the quaint home.  
  
As Geraldine brought out another tray of goodies, she caught a glimpse of David holding the tiny being dressed in frills and layers of a christening gown. It seemed as if he might pop in that double-breasted suit of his. Geraldine could imagine her namesake growing up to have that same look of adoration towards her Grandfather, and her Grandfather would never find fault in her – even if she inherited the Tinker brain (although Geraldine believed David would fight with the greatest fervor to educate and civilize his posterity).  
  
At the moment, none of that mattered. This moment was as simple as love of the purest variety. A grandfather looking down into the eyes of the future and sharing his knowledge of life with a gaze. Soon Baby Geraldine was lulled to sleep in the security of his arms, and Owen, Jim, and Frank left in silence.  
  
The baby was returned to her mother with the greatest of care and then eased into her bassinet. Alice started toward the kitchen to help Geraldine.  
  
"No," Geraldine took Alice's coffee mug, "I've got this. Just take your little family home."  
  
"Are you sure?" Alice asked peeking into the kitchen.  
  
As if to answer, a tiny whimper came from the bassinet.  
  
Geraldine agreed, "Yes, I'm sure. The Geraldines vote unanimously." She leaned over the bassinet, "Good-bye, sleepy one," and gave her goddaughter a kiss on the forehead.  
  
Hugo secured a blanket around baby Geraldine, picked up the bassinet, and headed toward the door. He and Alice turned to wave and to say their good- byes.  
  
"Bye," Geraldine sighed as she looked around her empty, somewhat disheveled, living room. Placing the mug and a napkin on a tray, she turned around and nearly ran into David.  
  
"Oh!" She put her hand to her chest, "You frightened me, David."  
  
"Let me take that for you." Before Geraldine could answer, David had taken the tray into the kitchen.  
  
"Um. OK. All right. I … um," she quickly straightened the magazines on the coffee table and scampered into the kitchen.  
  
David had just washed the last coffee mug and picked up a dishtowel. He thoroughly dried each dish (inside and outside, front and back) handing them off to Geraldine to put them in their proper places.  
  
As she placed a dish in an upper cabinet, Geraldine began her coquettish behavior - shamelessly giggling and smiling. "You didn't have to do that."  
  
David threw the towel over his shoulder, "No trouble."  
  
"Thank you," she sighed.  
  
David chuckled, "I should thank you for saving the bishop from my 'truly disgusting sherry'." He spared no expense at imitating his old schoolmate.  
  
Geraldine leaned against the counter batting her eyelashes. David smirked and dried his hands again. Silence.  
  
"Well," David folded the towel and placed it next to the sink; "I should be going."  
  
Geraldine suddenly transformed to her normal self with a more disappointed air. "Of course." She followed him to the door, "Oh. David, just one moment."  
  
Geraldine reached behind the door and removed the hat that David had left behind the night he "hypothetically proposed." David took the hat and traced the path of the rim with the inside of his hand. For a moment, a thoughtful pout surfaced on his usually stern, yet sarcastic, face, but it was erased with half a smile. "Goodbye."  
  
To Be Continued … 


	2. 

Chapter Two  
  
By: Ashley McCall  
  
Rating: PG (once again - to be a little risky)  
  
Disclaimer: See Chapter One  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"G'bye." Once again, Geraldine watched as David regally walked back to the estates, but she did not leave the door overly joyous.  
  
She pushed her hair back in frustration. "What were you thinking?" she asked the reflection in the mirror. "Did you honestly believe you could entice him through mere flirtations?"  
  
Geraldine walked away in anger from the woman on the other side of the looking glass and began to mock her earlier actions. "Just clasp your hands like this. And tilt your head like this. And bat your eyelashes like this." She flopped onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands, "I ... am ... such ... a moron."  
  
~*~  
  
The year was going by so quickly. Geraldine's life had been one enormous, insane, twisty, and curvy roller coaster. She would even claim a record breaking 10 consecutive loops had been added in there when she was not looking. And now she was chained to the church of St. Barnabas. Although she had not planned on making a spectacle of herself often, this was a matter of life and death - the death of Dibley.  
  
Summer ushered in an unbearable drought, and the water company's solution was to make a reservoir of Dibley. As far as Geraldine was concerned, this was the only logical and productive way of saving her village. Let the media spread the word, and let the people save her Dibley.  
  
There was one problem. There was no press, no media - nil. David had already noticed the slight drawback in Geraldine's plan, and he had made sure she knew what he thought of it.  
  
An entire day had gone by (as had an evening church service and a painfully long Anthea Turner special), and Geraldine's stomach was demanding breakfast (or at least a Curly Wurly bar to tide her over).  
  
At that moment, she saw Alice walking up the path. "Ah! My favorite verger! Please tell me that you have food."  
  
"Noooo. Sorry." Alice drew out while digging in every pocket she had until she found something. She revealed her finds, "Mmm. Dairy Milk."  
  
"That'll do. That'll do," Geraldine begged and licked her lips.  
  
Alice pulled back the paper and took a bite of the chocolate bar. "Mmmm. This is so scrummy."  
  
"I'm sure." Geraldine's mouth was watering, "Alice, could I..."  
  
"Heavenly."  
  
Geraldine's hunger got the best of her, "Alice! If you don't give me a bite of that chocolate, I will make sure that you never know the true meaning of `heavenly'!"  
  
"Oh. Sorry. Did you want some of this?" Alice held out the sweet.  
  
"Yes," Geraldine sighed. Alice placed a decent chunk of Dairy Milk into the vicar's mouth. Geri slowly chewed the milky sweetness savoring every bit of delectable creaminess. The flood of flavor caused her eyes to slightly roll back into her head. She slowly recovered, "You were right. Heavenly."  
  
"So ... still no press, eh?" Alice rewrapped the chocolate and stuck it in her pocket.  
  
"No, Alice. Tons of press! They're all over at the vicarage having tea and biscuits." Needless to say, the vicar did not like to be reminded of her failures.  
  
"Ooh," Alice started for the vicarage.  
  
"No, no, Alice. Come back. Come back." Geraldine hung her head to the side, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so grumpy. There is no press."  
  
"Aw," Alice frowned.  
  
"Your father-in-law paid me a visit yesterday just to make that point." She took a moment to really look at her surroundings. Never had the small village looked so vast. "Maybe David was right. Maybe this is a ridiculous idea."  
  
"NO!" Alice's unexpected resolute stance startled Geraldine. "You can't give in, vicar. Not now. What happened to `Girl Power'?"  
  
"It disappeared along with the Spice Girls," she muttered under her breath. "I just can't do this alone, Alice. One person can't save an entire village."  
  
"That's not what you use to say," Alice looked down in disappointment. "You never believed in the impossible. Remember? You told me, `All things are possible through Jesus Christ.' ... Oh, and a good push-up bra."  
  
Geraldine let Alice's words of encouragement go in one ear and out the other as she held back tears. "I'm here alone, and alone I'll stay." She took in a deep breath and slowly released it, "Always alone." With another deep breath, she spoke, "But it's my own fault. I had my chance." Several tears ran down her face as she wailed, "He doesn't even call me Geraldine anymore!"  
  
"Aw," Alice hugged the vicar around the waist.  
  
Geraldine quickly pulled herself together - sniffling and blinking away lingering tears. "Thanks, Alice. I think it's just the lack of sleep. I don't know how much longer I can last."  
  
The verger finally let go, "Do this for little Geraldine."  
  
~*~  
  
Soon after, Jim paid Geraldine a visit allowing her to take a break. Meanwhile, Alice had gathered the rest of the parish council at the Horton's residence.  
  
"We've done all that we can. We've written our MP. We've signed petitions. All we can do is wait for results," David refused to be sold on Alice's idea.  
  
She thought they should all join the vicar in her village saving strategy, but Owen was the first to correct David. "The vicar isn't just sitting around waiting for results! And I, for one, do not plan to sit around and wait for someone else to save my home either!" Without another word, he stormed out of the house.  
  
Frank was the next to stand, "I second that motion," and rushed to join the vicar in her crusade.  
  
"Go on!" David taunted them. "Make spectacles of yourselves. It won't be anything out of the ordinary!" He called to Frank and Owen as if they could hear him.  
  
"You're right, Father." Hugo grabbed his jacket from the coat rack. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Extraordinary - just like the demi-Paradise our vicar is trying to save."  
  
David turned away from the words he had spoken of Dibley only a few days ago as his son left to defend his homeland. His words had come back to haunt him and echoed in his mind mingled with Hugo's declaration. "This other Eden! This demi-Paradise! ... the demi-Paradise our vicar is trying to save. Extraordinary ... what an extraordinary woman you are."  
  
He was saved from his own torment when someone placed a hand on his shoulder, "Mr. Horton?" It was "our Alice", "Aren't you coming with us?"  
  
David only huffed. He had become so accustomed to being the antagonist.  
  
"If you could just see her little face," Alice remained in her baby-talk tones, "she's so sad and lonely. I'm sure it would mean so much to her if you came." This time, he did not even acknowledge his daughter-in-law. Alice picked up baby Geraldine to leave, "Teletubby bye-bye."  
  
~*~  
  
There they stood - Frank, Jim, Hugo, Geraldine, Alice, and even baby Geraldine - chained to the church of St. Barnabas. Much press and many groups of supporters had finally gathered. Friends of the Earth were there; there was even a group especially for the vicar's bottom (thanks to Jim's interview with the BBC News).  
  
Her plan was finally working. Geraldine was experiencing extreme pride - not for her accomplishments - for her village and for her fellow townspeople especially those standing with her in this crusade. Nothing could bring her down.  
  
Then David appeared, "Still here, eh?"  
  
"Yes," Geraldine answered indignantly. "Still standing firm. Despite what you think."  
  
"I think, in the end, it's not a bad idea." He unzipped his jacket revealing a "Save Dibley" T-shirt and removed handcuffs from his pockets. "Chain me up, Scotty!"  
  
~*~  
  
Someone snuggly chained David between Geraldine and Alice.  
  
"Nice of you to bring your own handcuffs, David," Geri could not give up her chance to tease him.  
  
He raised an eyebrow (Geraldine swore that he almost blushed) but quickly looked down the line of protestors. "Where's Owen?" No one had seen the asinine farmer since he left David's house.  
  
~*~  
  
At dusk, the press, the supporters, and other lookers-on dwindled away van by van, group by group, one by one, and the Dibley protestors were left to entertain themselves. After a hundred rounds of "Guess What I Can See" hosted by Alice Horton née Tinker (objects included the tiniest blade of grass exactly one centimeter away from the outside of her left heel and a purple bunny with white spots that were polka-dotted themselves named Silly Sesame Stan in her brain), Geraldine just could not handle anymore.  
  
"How about a sing-a-long?"  
  
Geraldine thought it was going along much smoother than Alice's game, but they had only sung one song. Then Frank chose to sing "100,000 Green Bottles." After that tedious song, Hugo insisted on singing Kylie Minogue's "I Should Be So Lucky" followed by a few encores. Even during the first encore, Geraldine's eyes began to slowly close.  
  
David softly nudged her, "Vicar? Are you O. K.?"  
  
As slowly as she closed her eyes, she opened them again, smiled, and nodded. Geri turned around so that David could not see her smile grow wider as she thought, "David Horton in chains. Teehee. Now, now - be a good girl."  
  
~*~  
  
It was finally over. There had been word about the crowd that the Water Company was going to make an official announcement concerning Dibley and the water shortage.  
  
Suddenly, a wave of mumbles parted with the crowd. The weasel of a spokesman from the Water Company pushed his way through until he got to a clearing. The mumbles quickly died as he began his speech, "After careful consideration of all the facts, I am instructed to inform you that the board has decided to proceed with Dibley Reservoir."  
  
There was a mixture of gasps and shocked statements being swapped through the crowd. The six protestors were even more voiced, "What?! ... No ..."  
  
"Sorry, sorry, sorry," he apologized, "...have decided not to proceed with Dibley Reservoir." He was interrupted by shouts and whoops of jubilation. The protestors would have clapped if their hands had been free. "We wish to point out that this decision has nothing to do with the recent protest."  
  
"Sure!" the vicar heckled from behind.  
  
"We have listened very carefully to the more detailed environmental arguments. And after the discovery on a local farm of a blue-crested, one-legged chicken, we believe the area to be of unique natural importance."  
  
David looked at Geraldine in puzzlement as she noticed Owen in the crowd with a chicken nestled under his arm, "So that's where he's been?"  
  
"And therefore, we'll look for other solutions to the water shortage."  
  
~*~  
  
As extra security, Hugo had swallowed the key for the handcuffs. There were no longer any animals on Owen's farm with the correct number of legs. The protestors' bodies were screaming for sleep. And David was wearing casual clothing. Unusual or extraordinarily unusual, Dibley was Dibley yet glorified.  
  
They all congregated once more at the vicarage to celebrate. "We won!" Geraldine exclaimed triumphantly.  
  
"This is indeed a great day for Dibley," David agreed; "and the right moment to announce that we have decided to have a millennium statue after all and chosen our subject."  
  
Geraldine noticed that David was extremely proud of his announcement - with his hands shoved in his pockets and his ineffable smile. She had not seen him smile like that in a while. "Really?"  
  
"We haven't discussed it with you, Vicar. But we feel there's only one person it could possibly be," Hugo explained. "In fact, everyone I asked gave me the same answer. ... And that answer was, `A statue of Geraldine.'"  
  
She was slightly taken aback, slightly embarrassed, slightly flatter, slightly honored, and slightly speechless, "Well, I don't know what to say."  
  
David supplied an option, "We just hope you'll honor us with your presence at the unveiling."  
  
"I certainly will."  
  
~*~  
  
On the day of the unveiling, Alice joined the vicar in preparation of the big event. Geraldine still could not grasp the thought of being immortalized on the Village Green. In the meantime, she had time to think about the occurrences of the protest - the sleepless nights and days, the emotional breakdown, the crazy thoughts that could have been accidentally verbalized and entrusted to naïve Alice.  
  
Alice was looking in the mirror trying to place her hair band in the perfect place as Geraldine joined her. The vicar opened her compact to powder her nose, "Um, Alice?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You remember that day, during the protest, that I just broke down and cried?"  
  
"Yeah, that was so sad," Alice put her head on Geraldine's shoulder.  
  
"Yeah," she patted the verger on the arm. "And you remember how I got upset about David not calling me by my name?"  
  
"Is that who you were talking about?"  
  
"Well, yeah. I mean ... No. Well," Geraldine had started this conversation to make an excuse for the things she said earlier, but it was an unnecessary conversation she discovered. All she could do now was babble senselessly, "It's just my feelings weren't really hurt. Well, they were hurt when he ridiculed my village saving plan, but that's beside the point. He did show up and stood by me ... us. Just as he had stood up for Dibley with his eloquent speech like the man I love. I mean really like ... I mean ... I never said I loved him."  
  
"Right," Alice was mesmerized by the image in the mirror as she applied lipstick as blusher in clown style.  
  
~*~  
  
After the two had decided they were gorgeous enough, they joined the rest of the village for the dedication of the millennium statue. Just as they approached the site, David began the ceremony.  
  
"And so it gives me the greatest pleasure, now that our heroic vicar has joined us," he nodded towards her as she took her place next to him, "to unveil the Dibley Millennium Statue. We'll call it simply `Geraldine'."  
  
As silly as it seemed, Geraldine melted when David said her name. Her knees went weak, and she was giggly until the statue was revealed. It had an extreme likeness to Baby Geraldine in her crib. While everyone was giving applause, Geri was dumbfounded; therefore, her clapping was delayed greatly.  
  
David continued, "We didn't want to commemorate the past, but look to the future."  
  
Geraldine gave a few more claps in confusion.  
  
"What do you think, Vicar?" David was very sincere.  
  
"I think it's perfect." He squeezed her arm and left to join his family.  
  
~*~  
  
The crowd left. Jim left with the Swedish journalist Ana Greta and her twin sister. Owen returned to his Farm of Terror, and Frank was in a hurry to get home to watch "EastEnders". The Hortons congregated at David's home while Geraldine was left alone.  
  
David cooed over his granddaughter as Alice looked on. The baby squirmed and smiled. Alice aided the reaction by tickling her baby's tiny feet and teasing her with baby talk, "You love your, Grandpoppy, don't you? Your granddaddydiddypoppypoo." David rolled his eyes at the insane name Alice had given him. "Yes. Yes, you do!"  
  
Alice sat back with a sigh. "It just feels so nice to know that I won't wake up tomorrow morning in the middle of a reservoir. I know the vicar is especially glad you decided to join in the protest."  
  
David handed baby Geraldine to her mother. "No more than she appreciated the rest joining her protest." He poured himself a drink, "I am sure the vicar was shocked by my appearance if anything at all."  
  
"No. She was just saying that you defended Dibley just like the man she loved although she never told you that she loved you. Although I'm not sure why. She's always been one to speak her mind, don't you think?"  
  
~*~  
  
Geraldine shuffled through her CDs mumbling, "Where are Gloria Gaynor and Alanis Morisette when you need them?"  
  
Suddenly, a CD caught her eye. Her gaze softened. Geraldine slid the CD into the player. The soft tones of Roberta Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" began to play. Geraldine made her way around the sofa and sat on her legs. While pulling a quilt up to her neck, she propped herself up taking in every note and every word. Reminiscing.  
  
There was a knock on the door.  
  
"Eh, um ..." she tried to slide her legs around. "Just a moment!" She pushed herself off the sofa.  
  
She did not bother to turn down the volume or to alter the player in anyway. She went directly to the door.  
  
Geraldine opened the door and saw the person she least expected. "David?"  
  
With no expression on his face, David took Geraldine by the waist, pulled her closer, and seized her lips with his own. The song continued to serenade them (rather appropriately):  
  
"The first time ever I kissed your mouth..."  
  
Geraldine responded taking David's face in her hands.  
  
"I felt the earth move in my hand..."  
  
Reluctant to pull too far away, David rested his forehead on Geraldine's. Speechless. Quaking.  
  
"Like a trembling heart  
  
Of a captive bird  
  
That was there at my command..."  
  
Both - senseless.  
  
Geraldine finally managed to look up into David's eyes, but only for one brief moment. Now cheek-to-cheek, she whispered in David's ear, "I love you too."  
  
~*~  
  
Alice and Geraldine shared their ritual coffee chats while the latter took another stab at humoring the other.  
  
"You know, Alice, serving Jesus is like taking a leak in your wetsuit," Geri said rather matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh. Really?"  
  
"Yeah, other people may not know what you're doing, but you feel warm all over." Geraldine gave her usual appreciative laugh.  
  
"I know exactly what you mean," Alice took a sip of her coffee never breaking a smile. "I've had to take a leak in my wetsuit on several occasions. Once you're in a wetsuit, there's really no way you're getting out."  
  
~THE END~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
~To "Manda" - for editing, encouraging, and giggling. You are "the beauty and the brains" of this team.  
  
With Deepest Gratitude - From "The Rest" ;o) ~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 


End file.
